REWIND! Indigenous Canada

A while back I completed a 12 week online course through the University of Alberta. I totally forgot to blog about it so let’s rewind!

From June to September 2017 I participated in a FREE interactive course called Indigenous Canada. The weekly lessons in this course present topics on Canadian history from the perspective of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people – something I’ve never been aware of as a Canadian! I highly recommend this unique course to those who are interested in learning about the relationship – past and present – between Canada (i.e. government/ settlers) and its First Peoples.

What to expect:

The course consists of 12 modules (that’s 1 per week). Each module contains interactive videos, downloadable notes, and a quiz. The modules can take anywhere from 3-5 hours per week to complete. If you wish to receive a certificate of completion when you finish the course it will cost $65.

Here are the presenters of Indigenous Canada…

Dr. Tracey BearIsaac TwinnAlannah Mandamin-Shawanda

Course highlights:

The lessons/ modules that I found the most interesting and impactful were The Fur Trade, Trick or Treaty, and Red Power.

The Fur Trade because it was through this lesson that I learned about the origins of the Metis nation and about the positive relationship once held between Canada’s first peoples and its European Settlers. It would be a beautiful thing if this country could go back to that nation-to-nation relationship.

Trick or Treaty because the content clarified questions I had about the Numbered Treaties, and it caused me to reflect deeply on the fact that colonialism is not a thing of the past but is still alive and well today.

Red Power was a lesson I found really, really, interesting because of the similarities I noticed between the Red Power and Civil Rights/Black Power movements. Just like my ancestors in Jamaica, the Indigenous peoples of Canada have incredible stories and legacies of resistance and courage. This one was a great connecting point for me!

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I highly recommend this FREE course to anyone who is interested in Canadian history – from the perspective of its Indigenous Nations.

Thank you for reading!

If you have taken or are currently taking Indigenous Canada feel free to share your experience in the comment section below 🙂